CHANGE IN DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOLLOWING A 3-MONTH INTERVENTION FOR COLLEGE SENIORS: PROJECT GRAD 593

Project GRAD (Graduate Ready for Activity Daily) is a randomized, controlled study evaluating a 3 month intervention to increase and maintain physical activity among graduating college seniors by altering psychosocial determinants of physical activity. The purpose of this abstract is to evaluate the effect of the GRAD intervention on the determinants of physical activity. The intervention was a 2-unit course with one hour of lecture and two hours of peer-led lab per week. Participants were taught exercise science and behavior change principles and skills. The control condition received a general health education course. Determinants of physical activity, including self-efficacy, social support, enjoyment, processes of change, barriers, and benefits were measured before and after the intervention by questionnaire. Data were analyzed separately for women (n=185) and men (n=153) using a 2×2×2 (condition × active/inactive × time) repeated measures ANCOVA controlling for season. There was an intervention effect (improvement) in self-efficacy for women(p<.001) but not for men. Social support from family decreased among women in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<.03), but not among men. Enjoyment of physical activity increased more in the intervention group for women (p<.05), but not for men. There was an intervention effect for behavioral processes of change among men(p<.002) and women (p<.001). Cognitive processes of change improved more for women in the intervention group(p<.001), but not for men. Surprisingly, perceived barriers increased more among men in the intervention group (p<.002), but not for women. There were no significant intervention effects for social support from friends or perceived benefits. Most of the observed changes in determinants of physical activity were in the expected direction, and the intervention appears to be more effective for women than men. The GRAD course improved several psychosocial determinants, and these changes are expected to lead to physical activity changes.